The present invention relates to a tube joint, more precisely relates to a tube joint including a cylindrical body proper, into which a tube is inserted from one open end, and a locking member for locking the tube in the body proper.
One of conventional tube joints is disclosed in Japanese Patent Gazette No. 2002-106772. The disclosed tube joint comprises: a pipe-shaped body proper; a guide cylinder, whose one end is press-fitted in the body proper; a stopper fixed in one end part of the guide cylinder; a release ring, which is provided on the one end side of the guide cylinder and capable of moving in the axial direction thereof; a seal ring; and locking claws. The tube joint is connected to a joint hole of a fluidic device.
A tube to be connected is inserted into a tube inlet of the tube joint, which is constituted by the release ring and the guide cylinder. By inserting the tube, the claws are radially moved outward, and the claws contact an outer circumferential face of the tube. In this state, the tube is pulled outward, so that tips of the claws bite the outer circumferential face of the tube. Therefore, the tube can be tightly locked in the tube joint. When the tube is pulled out from the tube joint, the tube is once pushed inward so as to release the tube from the bite of the claws.
In many fluidic devices, a plurality of joint holes are formed, so that tube joints are concentrated in a small area or provided to places where it is difficult to see and deal.
In the tube joint disclosed in the Japanese Gazette, when the tube is pulled out from the tube joint, it is difficult to handle the tube joint. Namely, the release ring should be pushed inward, simultaneously the tube should be pulled outward. A worker must simultaneously handle the tube and the tube joint by his both hands. Therefore, it is difficult for inexperienced workers to attach and detach tubes.
Especially, in the cases that tube joints are concentrated in a small area and provided in a place where it is difficult to see and deal, it is further difficult to handle tubes and the tube joints.